Written Answers Thursday 21 June 2007

Scottish Executive

Asylum Seekers

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to publish the details of the March 2006 agreement with the Home Office on asylum seeker children.

Fiona Hyslop: This government believes that asylum seeker children have the same rights as other children. Ministers are currently examining what the Scottish government can do to ensure that the welfare and needs of asylum seeker children are paramount.

  The details of the March 2006 agreement with the Home Office were included in a Home Office press release in March 2006. They are as follows:

  the introduction of enhanced criminal record checks for front-line immigration enforcement staff working across the UK;

  the creation of a new post of Regional Director for Immigration in Scotland, with responsibility for co-ordinating and managing immigration arrangements in Scotland as part of a broader UK development;

  increasing the numbers of failed asylum seekers who leave the UK voluntarily through the enhanced voluntary returns package;

  a provision in the Police and Justice Bill for the independent inspection of the immigration service, and

  a review of family removals processes by the Home Office.

  working with the Scottish Executive on using the concept of a lead professional who takes responsibility for coordinating information from various health, education, police and social care representatives, which can then be provided to the Immigration Service to help it take informed decisions on the management and timing of the removal of failed asylum seeking families with children, and

  the introduction of new arrangements to handle complaints against immigration officers throughout the UK.

Asylum Seekers

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-30704 by Robert Brown on 23 January 2007, when it intends to report to the Parliament on the implementation of the March 2006 agreement on asylum seeker children.

Fiona Hyslop: We will hold the Border and Immigration Agency (BIA) to account for each and every element of that agreement, and will press for further progress where that it is required to advance and promote the interests of children, families and communities in Scotland affected by these issues.

  Responsibility for delivery of the outstanding strands of the agreement lies mainly with BIA and limited progress has been made since the previous administration reported to Parliament in March of this year.

  For example, the lead professional arrangements will not begin until the BIA "case resolution" review of legacy cases starts, which is expected to be in September. We will continue to work with BIA and Glasgow City Council to ensure the arrangements operate smoothly from the start.

  We will report to Parliament when key measures such as the enhanced background checking of all staff involved in family removals and the legislation to permit inspection of the removal process have been fully implemented.

Asylum Seekers

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-30704 by Robert Brown on 23 January 2007, when it intends to inform the Parliament of, and publish, the findings of the autumn 2006 joint inspection of services for asylum seeker children following receipt of the formal report from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (HMIE).

Fiona Hyslop: I understand that the HMIE inspection Report will be published shortly. As well as submitting the report to Ministers, HMIE will send copies of the report to Members of the Education, Lifelong Learning and Culture; Justice; Local Government and Communities; Health and Sport and Equal Opportunities Committees.

Central Heating Programme

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will carry out a review of the operation of the Warm Deal and central heating programme and whether as part of any such review it will consider extending the criteria for eligibility, in consultation with organisations representing older people and people with disabilities.

Stewart Maxwell: The central heating and Warm Deal programmes have already provided free central heating for 83,000 homes and free insulation for 317,000 homes in Scotland. The majority of these free installations have benefited people over 60 years of age.

  A formal review of the Fuel Poverty Statement is not required until August 2010. The contract for the delivery of current programmes runs till March 2008. I am open to suggestions as to how the effectiveness of these programmes in combating fuel poverty can be improved in future.

Child Poverty

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to reduce child poverty.

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what priority it will give to reducing child poverty.

Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-565 on 18 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Council Tax

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what provision is made for continuing student exemption from council tax for Scottish students who, after completion of a degree, immediately start a professional diploma course.

John Swinney: If there is no gap between the completion of a degree and the start of a professional diploma course, and all other qualifying criteria are met, the individual may be eligible for an on-going exemption from council tax for the full period of study. However, if there is a break between the degree finishing and the diploma beginning (for example over the summer months), the individual may be liable for council tax in the intervening period. In this case, if relevant qualifying criteria are met, the individual will again become eligible for a council tax exemption when the diploma course begins.

Crime

Bill Kidd (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it ensures that the Scottish Consolidation Fund is ring-fenced for investment directly back into the community where the crimes have been committed.

Kenny MacAskill: The Cabinet Secretary for Justice announced – in Parliament on 6 June 2007 – the Scottish Government’s intention to establish a new approach to reinvesting money confiscated from criminals under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. By the autumn of this year, we will have around £8 million to reinvest in those communities hardest hit by crime. Early talks will be sought to establish the best way to make a visible impact on services and activities for young people where this is most needed, and to encourage additional contributions from the worlds of business, sport and culture.

Crime

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many convictions there have been for possession of an offensive weapon in Tayside in each of the last four years.

Kenny MacAskill: The available information is given in the following table.

  Persons in Tayside Police Force Area with a Charge Proved in Court for Carrying Knives or Possessing an Offensive Weapon1, 2001-02 to 2005-06

  

Year
Having in a Public
Place an Article with a Blade or Point
Possession of an
Offensive Weapon
Total


2001-02
62
81
143


2002-03
72
72
144


2003-04
46
82
128


2004-05
74
90
164


2005-06
88
89
177



  Note: 1. Where main offence.

Crime

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many convictions there have been of people aged under 18 for possession of an offensive weapon in Tayside in each of the last four years.

Kenny MacAskill: Persons Aged Under 18 in Tayside Police Force Area with a Charge Proved in Court for Carrying Knives or Possessing an Offensive Weapon1, 2001-02 to 2005-06

  

Year
Having in a Public Place an
Article with a Blade or Point
Possession of an
Offensive Weapon
Total


2001-02
6
12
18


2002-03
5
7
12


2003-04
9
10
19


2004-05
7
10
17


2005-06
15
10
25



  Note: 1. Where main offence.

Culture

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its intentions are for the draft Culture Bill published by the previous administration.

Linda Fabiani: As I said in response to S3W-719, from Patricia Ferguson, I have been interested to consider the views expressed in the consultation on the Draft Culture (Scotland) Bill, and I will reflect on them. If we believe the Scottish Government needs legislation to achieve its cultural policy aims, we will bring it to Parliament.

Culture

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what value it places on the role of the arts and culture in the regeneration of Scotland’s cities.

Linda Fabiani: I am convinced of the positive impact that arts and culture make to Scotland’s communities. Local authorities and others do much in this area already, and I think there is much more to do.

Culture

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will define artists in relation to the grants scheme proposed in the SNP manifesto.

Linda Fabiani: I am at present considering an appropriate definition of artists for the purposes of the operation of the proposal referred to in the question.

Culture

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to support contemporary music.

Linda Fabiani: At present contemporary music will continue to be supported by the Scottish Arts Council which has a variety of grant funding that is available to musicians and music events.

  Contemporary music will also be supported this year by the Scottish Music Futures Fund of £500,000, as announced in February 2007 by the then Deputy First Minister. This Fund was set up to support the commercial development and promotion of Scottish music talent. Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is administering the fund for the whole of Scotland, in partnership with Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Arts Council.

  Scottish Enterprise and HIE are also helping SAC fund the formation and establishment of the Scottish Music Industry Association.

Diabetes

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to receive a response from the UK National Screening Committee about a high-risk screening programme for diabetes.

Shona Robison: The UK National Screening Committee has recommended that screening of certain sub-groups of the population who are at high-risk of type 2 diabetes is feasible, but that it should be undertaken as part of an integrated programme to detect and manage cardiovascular risk factors. Efforts to target high-risk groups in Scotland are focused on implementation of the "Keep Well" projects and SIGN Guideline 97 on risk estimation and the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Digital Technology

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to enable broadband technology to be available to the village of Westfield.

Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-456 on 8 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Drug Misuse

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will bring forward proposals to implement a 20% increase in drug rehabilitation services.

Fergus Ewing: These matters will be considered as part of the Spending Review 2007. We will also be discussing the best way forward across the range of drug misuse issues with interested parties over the coming months.

Drug and Alcohol Misuse

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients were placed in residential accommodation for (a) drug and (b) alcohol addiction in (i) 2004, (ii) 2005 and (iii) 2006.

Fergus Ewing: Complete information is not held in the form requested. Some information on the number of admissions to residential accommodation is contained within Alcohol and Drug Action Team (ADAT) Corporate Action Plans. These can be accessed from the following website:

  http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/dat/cap/dat.htm.

Drug and Alcohol Misuse

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients were refused a residential placement for (a) drug and (b) alcohol addiction in (i) 2004, (ii) 2005 and (iii) 2006 and what the reasons were for refusals.

Fergus Ewing: This information is not held centrally.

Education

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met the Rural Schools Network and what issues were discussed.

Fiona Hyslop: This Executive has not yet met the Rural Schools Network, but I shall be pleased to do so, and am indeed keen to do so, in early course to discuss matters of mutual interest.

Energy

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what concerns it has that customers on Scottish Power’s dynamic teleswitched tariff cannot switch to another supplier without incurring additional costs.

Stewart Maxwell: I am advised by Ofgem that a consumer is not likely to incur additional costs in switching to a similar dynamic teleswitching tariff offered by an alternative supplier.

Environment

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the functions or structures of Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA); whether any such review will include other bodies and agencies; what consultation it is planning with stakeholders, and when it will announce its intentions.

Michael Russell: The landscape of public sector delivery is crowded. As the Cabinet Minister for Finance and Sustainable Growth indicated on 24 May 2007, we intend a wide ranging review of this landscape so that we can, if necessary, make changes that both create efficiencies but more importantly improve the service provided to our customers - whether they be land managers, individuals, businesses or communities.

  To support this review, I held a meeting on 19 June 2007 with nine of the public sector bodies, including SEPA and SNH, sponsored by the Rural Affairs and Environment portfolio and asked them to draw up proposals to deliver a single rural and environmental delivery service, capable of implementation within a year. The aim is to build a simpler, more efficient delivery service, operating as a single body, but without any change in legislation. It should give better protection for the environment without unnecessary red tape or complexity.

  We also intend to involve stakeholders directly in the design process and to investigate options for improving alignment with local authority and other bodies outside the Rural Affairs and Environment portfolio.

Europe

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline its strategy for engagement with Europe.

Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Executive places great importance on Scotland’s relationship with Europe. Careful consideration is currently being given to a strategy on Scottish Executive engagement with Europe which will set out how the Executive intends to secure a stronger voice in the EU by improving direct contact with the European Commission, develop closer relations with other Parliaments and press to take the lead in the EU fisheries negotiations. The Scottish Executive will announce details of its proposed strategy later in the year. The Executive is keen to see parliamentary scrutiny of EU legislative proposals reformed to improve the implementation and post implementation monitoring of European legislation so as to reduce burdens and ensure that the legislation introduced suits Scotland.

Fire Service

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has conducted research into the effect on water pressure to residents in areas where water hydrants are vandalised.

Stewart Stevenson: As this is an operational matter for Scottish Water, I have asked the Chief Executive to reply to your enquiry directly.

Fire Service

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it holds statistics detailing the number of incidents of vandalism to fire hydrants.

Stewart Stevenson: This is a matter for individual fire and rescue services. The information is not held centrally.

Fire Service

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any incidents where fire crews have been hampered in their responses to a fire because of vandalised fire hydrants.

Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Executive is not aware of any incidents where fire crews have been hampered in their response to a fire due to a vandalised hydrant.

Fire Service

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will fund research to inform the design of a vandal-proof locking mechanism for fire hydrants.

Stewart Stevenson: Fire hydrants are installed by Scottish Water for the fire and rescue services. Any decision to undertake and fund research into the design of a vandal-proof locking mechanism for fire hydrants is a matter for Scottish Water and individual fire and rescue services.

  In particular areas of Glasgow, trialling of lockable hydrant caps has been undertaken, and new methods of protecting hydrants will continue. However, it has to be recognised that there is a fine balance to be struck between completely securing hydrants against vandals, and ensuring the fire and rescue services and water workers have the access they need. Previous actions taken by the city-wide partnership involving Glasgow City Council, the police, fire and rescue services and Scottish Water in hot spot areas has resulted in a reduction in such incidents.

Firearms

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in discussions with the UK Government about extending the powers of the Executive to legislate on the regulation of airguns.

Kenny MacAskill: No such discussions have yet taken place.

Genetically Modified Food

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the UK Government in respect of an upper limit of 0.1% in permitted contamination levels of GM-free foods at this month’s Council of Ministers.

Michael Russell: The general approach on this was agreed at the December 2006 Council meeting, when the Executive reluctantly accepted that a 0.1% labelling threshold for accidental GM presence was impractical for the organic sector.

Housing

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing has held with Shelter to discuss her proposals for housing.

Stewart Maxwell: The government will announce today a number of proposals for tackling Scotland’s housing problems. I have spoken to Shelter today and will meet them tomorrow to discuss how to take forward these proposals.

Housing

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing has held with the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations to discuss her proposals for housing.

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing plans to hold with Shelter to discuss her proposals for housing.

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing plans to hold with the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations to discuss her proposals for housing.

Stewart Maxwell: The government will announce today a number of proposals for tackling Scotland’s housing problems. I have spoken to the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations today and in the coming weeks will discuss with them, and others with an interest in the future of Scotland’s housing, how to take forward these proposals.

Housing

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many private landlords have registered with local authorities under the Landlord Registration Scheme.

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for registration as private landlords have been received by local authorities since the Landlord Registration Scheme came into operation and how many have been approved.

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government is disappointed with the overall progress thus far and wants to see faster progress in the registration of private landlords across Scotland.

  The following table shows the number of applications for registration by private landlords and letting agents received by each local authority and the number of applications approved, as at 18 June 2007. Landlords and agents are required to register in each authority where they own or manage property, so these figures include multiple registrations for some individuals or organisations.

  

Local Authority
Registrations Approved
Total Applications Received


Aberdeen City
1,453
7,483


Aberdeenshire
741
3,326


Angus
928
1,768


Argyll and Bute
745
1,845


Clackmannanshire
38
571


Dumfries and Galloway
2,381
2,705


Dundee City
1
3,152


East Ayrshire
205
1,350


East Dunbartonshire
304
836


East Lothian
551
1,686


East Renfrewshire
42
782


Edinburgh, City of
2,667
20,586


Eilean Siar
28
312


Falkirk
1,131
1,600


Fife
0
5,338


Glasgow City
463
11,536


Highland
83
4,034


Inverclyde
0
969


Midlothian
0
812


Moray
0
1,289


North Ayrshire
0
1,446


North Lanarkshire
930
2,154


Orkney Islands
715
773


Perth and Kinross
930
2,952


Renfrewshire
21
1,699


Scottish Borders
1,610
2,509


Shetland Islands
107
260


South Ayrshire
720
1,749


South Lanarkshire
2,466
2,923


Stirling
163
1,661


West Dunbartonshire
14
633


West Lothian
1,187
1,936


Scotland
20,624
92,675

Housing

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many private landlords there are in Scotland.

Stewart Maxwell: The information requested is not held centrally.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-515 by Kenny MacAskill on 13 June 2007, how many people were charged with possession of an offensive weapon in the Grampian Police area in each of the last five years for which information is available.

Kenny MacAskill: Statistics on the number of people cautioned and charged by the police are not collected centrally. The available information on persons proceeded against in court is given in the following table.

  Persons in Grampian Police Force Area Proceeded Against in Court for Carrying Knives or Possessing an Offensive Weapon1, 2001-02 to 2005-06

  

Year
Having in a Public Place an
Article with a Blade or Point
Possession of an
Offensive Weapon
Total


2001-02
53
77
130


2002-03
55
62
117


2003-04
64
87
151


2004-05
68
102
170


2005-06
87
100
187



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. May exclude some acquittals due to recording delays.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-515 by Kenny MacAskill on 13 June 2007, how many people aged under 18 have been charged with possession of an offensive weapon in the Grampian Police area in each of the last five years for which information is available.

Kenny MacAskill: Statistics on persons cautioned and charged by the police are not collected centrally. The available information on persons proceeded against in court is given in the following table.

  Persons Aged Under 18 in Grampian Police Force Area Proceeded Against in Court for Carrying Knives or Possessing an Offensive Weapon1, 2001-02 To 2005-06

  

Year
Having in a Public Place an
Article with a Blade or Point
Possession of an
Offensive Weapon
Total


2001-02
7
10
17


2002-03
5
8
13


2003-04
13
10
23


2004-05
6
9
15


2005-06
11
6
17



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. May exclude some acquittals due to recording delays.

Justice

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fine defaulters have been placed on supervised attendance orders.

Kenny MacAskill: The latest available statistics on supervised attendance orders (SAOs) is given in table numbers 43 to 49 of statistical bulletin Criminal Justice Social Work Statistics 2005-06 , published by the Scottish Executive in 2007, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 41705). SAOs imposed on fine defaulters account for the great majority of all such orders (around 97 per cent in 2005-06).

Justice

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fine defaulters have refused to comply with supervised attendance orders.

Kenny MacAskill: The available information on breach applications of supervised attendance orders (SAOs) is given in table numbers 50 and 51 of statistical bulletin Criminal Justice Social Work Statistics 2005-06 , published by the Scottish Executive in 2007, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 41705). SAOs imposed on fine defaulters account for the great majority of all such orders imposed (around 97 per cent in 2005-06).

Justice

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many convictions have been secured based on DNA evidence in each year since 1999.

Right Hon Elish Angiolini QC: The information requested is not available. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s Case Management Database records details of accused and charges but this does not include searchable information about the evidence used by the prosecution.

Local Government Finance

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what effect its proposed council tax freeze will have on Glasgow City Council’s ability to deliver the best educational opportunities to Glasgow’s young people.

Maureen Watt: Discussions are taking place with local government, as part of the on-going spending review process, with a view to delivering a council tax freeze from 2008-09. At this stage, it is too early to speculate on the impact of what may emerge from those discussions. However, irrespective of the outcome, it will remain a matter for each local authority to determine how it uses the resources at its disposal to meet local needs and circumstances.

Maternity Services

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that all pregnant women receive a consistent level of antenatal care, particularly in relation to the number of ultrasound scans they are offered.

Shona Robison: A Framework for Maternity Services in Scotland , published in February 2001, sets out clearly and explicitly the maternity service which should be offered across Scotland. This includes details of the number and timing of ultrasound scans which should be offered during pregnancy.

  The government is working closely with NHSScotland to ensure that developments in screening during pregnancy are introduced efficiently and effectively.

Museums

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will continue to support and fund the Museums Recognition scheme.

Linda Fabiani: Yes, the Scottish Executive will continue to support the Significance Scheme for Scotland’s non-national museums and galleries. In fact, I intend to announce the first collections to receive the status of "Recognised Collections of National Significance to Scotland" later this month.

Nuclear Power

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a centre for renewable energy research will be built on or near the site of Hunterston nuclear power station prior to the full decommissioning of that facility.

Jim Mather: Research into renewable energy is carried out at a number of institutions in Scotland. The Intermediary Technology Institute for Energy is able to include renewable energy in its research and development programmes, and renewable and other forms of clean energy will also be a focus of the proposed Energy Technologies Institute when it commissions research.

  There are no specific proposals at present for a centre for renewable energy research at Hunterston.

Olympic Games

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it will cost to bring athletes currently on UK programmes into a Scottish Olympic team set-up.

Stewart Maxwell: I intend to convene a meeting with stakeholders as soon as possible to discuss issues around Scotland’s representation on the world sporting stage. As part of this discussion we will consider the feasibility of a Scottish Olympic team. Once these discussions have taken place, I will be in a better position to estimate the costs of transferring athletes on UK programmes into a Scottish Olympic team. Scots already contribute to the funding that the UK Government provides to cover many of the costs of Olympic athletes through the tax system.

People with Learning Disabilities

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people with learning disabilities have been living in NHS-commissioned services for longer than six weeks.

Shona Robison: In March 2006, there were 325 residents with learning disabilities living in local authority or NHS run care homes. Information is not held centrally on numbers in other NHS-commissioned services.

People with Learning Disabilities

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of people with learning disabilities occupying NHS residential or retained beds have a personal life plan to help decide whether alternative community-based housing and support options would be in their best interests.

Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-788 on 15 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

People with Learning Disabilities

Iain Smith (North East Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the population is registered disabled.

Stewart Maxwell: There is no official register of disabled people and no definitive estimate of the number of disabled people in Scotland.

  The 2001 Census found that 20% of the Scottish population reported having a long-term illness, health condition or disability. The Scottish Household Survey 2005 showed a total of 18% of the population reporting a disability or long-term illness or both.

  In 2004 the Disability Rights Commission in Scotland estimated that there were one million disabled adults in Scotland likely to be covered by the Disability Discrimination Act.

Police

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many nominated wildlife crime officers have been appointed in each police force area, indicating in each case whether these posts are full or part-time and whether they are filled by serving officers or civilians.

Kenny MacAskill: Except where indicated, these responsibilities represent part of an individual’s duties. The available information is set out in the following table.

  

Police Force
Number of Nominated Wildlife Crime Officers


Central Scotland Police
11
1 inspector, 10 constables


Dumfries and Galloway
12
4 sergeants, 8 constables,


Fife Constabulary
8
1 detective sergeant, 7 constables


Grampian Police
10
1 superintendent, 9 constables, (1 full-time)


Lothian and Borders Police
6
7 constables, (1 full-time)


Northern Constabulary 
12
1 chief inspector, 1 sergeant, 10 constables


Strathclyde Police
20
19 constables, 1 civilian


Tayside Police
13
1 sergeant, 11 constables, 1 civilian


M.O.D. Police in Scotland
10
1 sergeant, 9 constables

Police

Stefan Tymkewycz (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources are available to Lothian and Borders Police as a result of Scottish Parliament events in Edinburgh, involving VIP or Royal visitors, requiring an additional police presence.

Kenny MacAskill: In addition to police grant aided expenditure of £191 million in 2007-08, Lothian and Borders will receive an extra £765,000 from the government to help meet the additional costs associated with policing in the capital including the area round the Parliament.

Protection of Children and Prevention of Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2005

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many charges there have been under the Protection of Children and Prevention of Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2005 for meeting a child following certain preliminary contact, broken down by year.

Kenny MacAskill: Statistics on the number of people cautioned and charged by the police are not collected centrally. There were no records of persons proceeded against in court under the 2005 act in 2005-06, the latest year for which statistics are available.

Protection of Children and Prevention of Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2005

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many convictions there have been under the Protection of Children and Prevention of Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2005 for meeting a child following certain preliminary contact, broken down by year.

Kenny MacAskill: No convictions under the 2005 act were recorded for 2005-06, the latest year for which statistics are available.

Public Transport

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will put in place to support, expand and promote the bus network in Roxburgh and Berwickshire.

Stewart Stevenson: We are committed to improving the public transport experience for passengers thereby providing maximum benefit and easing the commute. We will be working with bus operators, transport authorities and other key industry stakeholders on more effective transport planning, the development of the bus industry, and more effective implementation of the regulatory regime. This includes reviewing Scottish government funding for bus services; expanding Demand Responsive Transport, and reviewing the Quality Partnership and Quality Contract legislation available to transport authorities to improve bus services in their area.

  In the current financial year, Scottish Borders Council will receive £356,000 under the Rural Public Passenger Transport Grant scheme to provide new and improved public transport services and related facilities at its discretion. In addition, several voluntary organisations, including Roxburgh Association of Voluntary Service, Berwickshire Association of Voluntary Service and WRVS Berwickshire are receiving funding under the Rural Community Transport Initiative.

Rail Network

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-222 by Stewart Stevenson on 8 June 2007, what the current cost estimates are for the construction of the Borders railway.

Stewart Stevenson: The current cost estimate given by the Promoter in their Outline Business Case is £130.6 million at 2002 prices. This figure excludes Optimism Bias and includes the additional station at Stow. The promoter’s estimate is currently subject to review by Transport Scotland.

Rail Network

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support the reopening of a railway station at Reston in Berwickshire and what other measures it will take to support transport links in Berwickshire.

Stewart Stevenson: The re-opening of a railway station at Reston and other possible train service changes in the East Lothian/Berwickshire area are being considered as part of the wider possible options for making best use of capacity on the East Coast Rail Route. These options will be included in the East Coast Main Line (ECML) Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS), which is currently being prepared for consultation by Network Rail. We will consider our position in the light of this consultation document.

Regeneration

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance it will give to revitalise Paisley town centre.

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish government has already committed to remove or reduce the burden of business rates for small businesses, which will help businesses in Paisley town centre. We will announce further policy measures in due course which will help build a more successful Scotland.

Renewable Energy

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will determine the application by Airtricity for its proposed Clyde Wind Farm.

Jim Mather: The Public Local Inquiry on the Clyde wind farm was concluded 13 October 2006. The Inquiry report was received by Executive officials on 8 June 2007. Following careful consideration of the reporter’s recommendations and any other material issues relevant to the proposed development, ministers will determine the application. Once the determination is made, an announcement will be issued and the details placed on the Executive website.

Roads

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the timescale is for dualling the A9 from Inverness to Thurso.

Stewart Stevenson: The next round of major investment in the trunk road network will emerge from the Strategic Transport Projects Review, which will examine the longer term needs of Scotland’s nationally strategic transport network to develop the investment plan for 2012 to 2022.

  Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted if required.

Rural Development

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive from which budget the £70 million funding to lower voluntary modulation will come and whether any environmental objectives will be adversely affected.

Richard Lochhead: Resource allocations for the three years beginning 2008-09 for rural development and all other parts of my portfolio will be agreed later this year in the 2007 Spending Review . Without prejudice to the outcome of that review, I expect to be able to fund the £70 million of additional domestic resources for the new Rural Development Programme by a combination of measures, including full use of flexibilities for the carry forward of both domestic and EU resources and, where appropriate, efficiencies.

  The majority of resources allocated to the programme will go to fund improvements in the environment and countryside. Therefore I expect the programme to benefit a wide range of environmental objectives and to have significant positive impact on the delivery of the programme’s environmental priorities of landscape and biodiversity, the water environment and climate change.

Schools

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many new schools will be built during this session of the Parliament.

Maureen Watt: In response to Kenneth Macintosh’s earlier question I explained our clear manifesto commitment to match the school building investment plans which were in place prior to the election. As I said, beyond that we shall wish to consider, with authorities, in the context of the spending review the feasible scale and timescale of the next stages of the school building programme.

Scottish Executive

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it will make to Her Majesty’s Government to enable the Executive to be formally entitled "The Scottish Government".

Bruce Crawford: We have no plans to make representations to Her Majesty’s Government on this issue.

  The term "Scottish Government" can already be used to denote the Scottish Executive, which, in terms of Section 126 of the Scotland Act 1998, comprises the Scottish ministers and junior ministers appointed under Section 49 of that act, as well as the administration’s civil servants. Indeed, it is often used informally, simply to promote understanding, as a readily understood description of what the Scottish Executive does.

Student Finance

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional students from areas of multiple deprivation will enter higher education as a result of the abolition of the graduate endowment.

Fiona Hyslop: I would anticipate an increase in student numbers from areas of multiple deprivation as a result of the fear of debt being removed following the abolition of the graduate endowment.

Student Finance

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it expects the Student Awards Agency for Scotland to pursue the 1,400 graduates who were liable to pay the graduate endowment this year but have not responded to their payment letters.

Fiona Hyslop: There is a legal obligation for students who became liable for the Graduate Endowment on or before 1 April 2007 to pay it and the Student Awards Agency for Scotland will continue to pursue those who have not paid.

Teaching

Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a significant gap between the number of teaching vacancies and the number of newly qualified teachers.

Fiona Hyslop: The aim of the Scottish Executive’s annual teacher workforce planning exercise is to broadly match the supply and demand for teachers. Vacancies occur throughout the academic year. In order to make early progress on our early year and class size commitments I recently announced that authorities would be provided with additional funding to enable them to employ an additional 300 teachers.

Transport

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve transport infrastructure in the Dumfries parliamentary constituency.

Stewart Stevenson: Improvements to transport infrastructure in the Dumfries parliamentary constituency are the responsibility of SWESTRANS and Dumfries and Galloway Council. The Scottish Executive will continue to work closely with those bodies, in line with the National Transport Strategy, to meet the transport needs of Dumfries.

Transport

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to make a decision on a new Forth crossing.

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the most recent estimate is of the cost of a new Forth crossing.

Stewart Stevenson: The Forth Replacement Crossing Study has now concluded and Transport Scotland is considering the study findings. A paper is being prepared for the Cabinet to consider options and associated costs to allow an early decision on this important project.

Transport

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what options are being considered in respect of a new Forth crossing and what the timescale is for such consideration.

Stewart Stevenson: The Forth Replacement Crossing Study has now concluded and Transport Scotland is considering the study findings. The options which have been considered can be found in the third report from the study which can be found at www.transportscotland.gov.uk/stpr .

  A paper is being prepared for the Cabinet to consider options and associated costs to allow an early decision on this important project.

Transport

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has made to secure the necessary capital funding for a new Forth crossing.

Stewart Stevenson: The Forth Replacement Crossing Study has now concluded and Transport Scotland is considering the study findings. A paper is being prepared for the Cabinet to consider options and potential funding mechanisms. An announcement will be made after the Cabinet has had the opportunity to consider all of the options.

Water Services

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has conducted research on the amount of water lost due to the vandalism of fire hydrants.

Stewart Stevenson: As this is an operational matter for Scottish Water, I have asked the Chief Executive to reply to your enquiry directly.